Ticket upgrade self-serve kiosk

• US 20080033771A1
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Premier Upgrades Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Premier Upgrades Incorporated
• Inventors: Barry, Stacey V.
• Application Number:
  US11/878,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033771A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

An on-site kiosk that offers ticket upgrades. A seating upgrade for an attendee at an event being held at a given venue may entail receiving an indication that the attendee desires a seating upgrade while the event is in progress. An attendee scans a ticket to be relinquished in favor of an upgrade, and a series of interfaces convey seating that is available for the event. This may entail an initial graphical display of the seating chart for the venue (e.g., for the stadium, arena, theatre, etc.) followed by refined displays until the user is ultimately presented with a particular number of seats matching the number to be exchanged for the upgrade. The user confirms the request to obtain the available seating, and provides compensation for the upgrade (e.g., credit card payment, previously accumulated points, etc.). Then tickets for the upgraded seats are immediately printed and provided to the attendee.

Claims

1. A method for seating upgrade for an attendee at an event being held at a given venue, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that the attendee desires a seating upgrade, the indication being received at the given venue, while the event is in progress;

displaying an available seat for the event in response to the indication that the attendee desires the seating upgrade;

receiving from the attendee a request to obtain the available seat following the display of its availability; and

outputting for physical possession by the attendee a tangible confirmation that the attendee has obtained the available seat.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the available seat, receiving the request to obtain the available seat, and outputting the tangible confirmation are performed by an on-site kiosk present within the given venue.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving an indication that the attendee desires a seating upgrade comprises the attendee passing a bar code on a ticket for their existing seat over a scanner provided by the on-site kiosk.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein displaying an available seat for the event comprises providing a graphical depiction of a seating map for the given venue and corresponding indication of available seats within the seating map.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the available seat is part of an inventory of available seats, and wherein an exit scanner allows a departing attendee to scan a ticket to make their seat available in the inventory of available seats when they leave the given venue.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the available seat is part of an inventory of available seats, and wherein a ticket holder makes their seat available in the inventory of available seats before the event takes place.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the ticket holder is compensated for making the previously purchased seat available in the inventory of available seats.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the tangible confirmation is a ticket.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to obtain the available seat is a request to purchase the available seat.

10. A system for seating upgrade for an attendee at an event being held at a given venue, the system comprising:

means for receiving an indication that the attendee desires a seating upgrade, the indication being received at the given venue, while the event is in progress;

means for displaying an available seat for the event in response to the indication that the attendee desires the seating upgrade;

means for receiving from the attendee a request to obtain the available seat following the display of its availability; and

means for outputting for physical possession by the attendee a tangible confirmation that the attendee has obtained the available seat.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for receiving an indication that the attendee desires a seating upgrade comprises receiving bar code information on a ticket for an existing seat.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the available seat is part of an inventory of available seats, and wherein an exit scanner allows a departing attendee to scan a ticket to make their seat available in the inventory of available seats when they leave the given venue.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the available seat is part of an inventory of available seats, and wherein a ticket holder makes their seat available in the inventory of available seats before the event takes place.

14. An on-site kiosk for providing seating upgrades for attendees at an event being held at a given venue, the on-site kiosk comprising:

a ticket recognition module, which receives an indication that the attendee desires a seating upgrade, the indication being received at the given venue, while the event is in progress;

a ticket inventory module, which determines an available seat for the event in response to the indication that the attendee desires the seating upgrade;

an interface module, in communication with the ticket inventory module, which receives from the attendee a request to obtain the available seat following the display of its availability; and

a ticket dispensing module, which outputs for physical possession by the attendee a tangible confirmation that the attendee has obtained the available seat.

15. The on-site kiosk of claim 14, wherein the ticket recognition module receives an indication that the attendee desires a seating upgrade by receiving bar code information on a ticket for an existing seat.

16. The on-site kiosk of claim 14, wherein the available seat is part of an inventory of available seats, and wherein an exit scanner allows a departing attendee to scan a ticket to make their seat available in the inventory of available seats when they leave the given venue.

17. The on-site kiosk of claim 14, wherein the available seat is part of an inventory of available seats, and wherein a ticket holder makes their seat available in the inventory of available seats before the event takes place.